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Venatrix-class Battleship
Class: Battleship Operators: Commonwealth Royal Navy Mass: 4,061,938 tons Cost: 26,303,485,680 talents Engines: :Right Engine Rating (50,000) :Center Engine Rating (50,000) :Left Engine Rating (50,000) Thrust: 2 Weapons: :Type (Location) ::100 37.5/10 (F) ::100 37.5/10 (F) ::100 37.5/25 ® ::100 37.5/25 (L) ::100 37.5/20 ® ::100 37.5/20 (L) ::100 37.5/15 ® ::100 37.5/15 (L) ::100 37.5/15 ® ::100 37.5/15 (L) ::100 37.5/10 (A) ::100 37.5/10 (A) ::Type E Missile System (3 Shots at 150 Points) Fighters: 144 at 300 tons (Two Groups) Small Craft: 8 at 1,000 tons Cargo: 10,000 tons Crew: 3,446 Passengers: 1100 Marines: 400 Overview The Venatrix-class battleship was first commissioned in 6825 as a replacement for the Commonwealth's aging ''Repulse''-class battleships. Scapa Flow Ltd. had done some intensive studies on deep-space combat and decided that spinal mounts were a waste of space, energy, and money. They claimed that Commonwealth ships had not even fired their spinal mounts in 79 percent of the battles studied. When ships had fired their spinal mounts, only 22 percent scored hits. There were several reasons for the poor performance of these weapons. One was the poor arc of fire that made it difficult for the spinal mount to lock onto a target. Another reason commanders tended not to fire their main gun was the tremendous amount of power needed to use the spinal mount. This left most captains having to decide between firing either their spinal mount or their broadside. To fire both at the same time required the captain to shunt power either from the engines, shields, or both, a risk that few were willing to take. The other problem with spinal mounts was their limited range. In order to get close enough to hit an opponent, Commonwealth ships often took considerable damage, sometimes enough to put them at a disadvantage. Capabilities Scapa Flow Ltd. started construction of the first Venatrix in late 6821. According to the original contract, the design had no spinal mount armament, allowing for several major improvements elsewhere. The shielding on the Venatrix is the heaviest found on any Commonwealth ship, as is the armor. The biggest improvement was in the bay weaponry. Consisting of one 100-gun 37.5/25 laser bay, one 100-gun 37.5/20 laser bay, and two 100-gun 37.5/15 laser bays each on the port and starboard, the Venatrix-class broadside may well be the largest anywhere in the Galaxy. The fore and aft of the ship are also well-armed, with two 100-gun 37.5/10 laser bays apiece. The anti-ship/anti-missile weaponry is also excellent. The Type E missile system is nothing short of terrifying, able to destroy all but the largest battleships with one salvo. The Venatrix is also equipped to carry up to 24 squadrons of the Commonwealth's heaviest fighters. The command equipment is the most modem available and can control the ship in any emergency. The electronic countermeasures system is the most sophisticated available to the Commonwealth and is one of the main defensive systems aboard the ship. The Venatrix also has good acceleration for its size, allowing it to keep up with most other Commonwealth battleships and cruisers. Though a new design, the Venatrix-class has already seen its fair share of combat. In late 6828, a Venatrix-class ship and its battleship squadron was escorting a convoy through to the besieged Pumbal system in Pembroke County, when they were attacked by a TOG battleship squadron, including one of TOG's dreaded new ''Shiva''-class battleships. A fierce melee ensued as the two battleships slugged it out within 75 kilometers of one another. By the time the rest of the Commonwealth forces had driven the other TOG ships away, the Shiva was crippled and could not outrun her pursuers. Less than two hours later, the TOG ship was destroyed. Despite its own heavy damage, the Venatrix had accomplished what no Commonwealth ship had ever been able to do. It had stood up to, and defeated, a Shiva-class and lived to fight again. Up to that point, no other Commonwealth battleship had survived a confrontation with a Shiva, even with the help of other friendly ships. Deployment Because it is a relatively new ship, deployment of the Venatrix is still limited, with the largest allocations currently in Shannedam County. Most Venatrix-class ships are assigned to be the center of a battleship squadron, though the Commonwealth has lately been experimenting with a new deployment. Instead of splitting the battleships into multiple groups, they have been combining three Venatrixes into what they call "Hunt/Kill Groups." This tactic has worked fairly well in the past few months, but it has stripped some front-line units of battleship groups. These new groups are generally used when a normal TOG battleship squadron is spotted. The Hunt/Kill Group is sent in to take out the TOG battleship at the center of the squadron. The Commonwealth commanders are to ignore other enemy ships except the lead battleship. Category:A to Z Index Category:Ships Category:Battleships Category:Commonwealth Ships